NBA Regular Season & Playoffs 2017-18

ButtersSuki

There's a great Steve Kerr conversation (split over 2 podcasts) on the Bill Simmonds pod on the ringer podcast network (as it's now called). Worth listening to IMO.

Was nerding it up reading nerd sh*t and found these beauties:

• Philadelphia has had the league's toughest schedule to date. When you consider how good they've been and still without Embiid at times, they could be surprisingly high at Play Off time.
• Boston, and then Houston have had the easiest schedules. Mind you, Houston are blowing teams away right now with a 20+ point winning margin over their 8 games. Expect some leveling off of Boston in particular, though if GS aren't careful I could see Houston taking the top seed in the West. One thing Houston do very well is really blow bad teams away - they'll pick up a lot of wins doing just that.

ButtersSuki

And just as I post about the Sixers toughest schedule they lose to the Suns. Lol.

GS were down 20 at the half to an AD-less Pelicans, now they’re down 5 in the 4th.

ButtersSuki

Just looking at the scores from last night. Washington lost by 47 to Utah. They had two quarters with 15 points in each, and one of 17. Their top scoring quarter was just 22 points for a great total of 69. Shocking.

Gregk961

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Clippers down 30+ At one stage and eventually lose by 26.......to the Mavericks.

Time to go Doc. And take Austin with you.

Just realised Patrick Beverley is out for the season, was wondering why Austin was getting so many minutes. Its a pity anyway, I love watching Beverley play.

ButtersSuki

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Just looking at the scores from last night. Washington lost by 47 to Utah. They had two quarters with 15 points in each, and one of 17. Their top scoring quarter was just 22 points for a great total of 69. Shocking.

So a night after scoring 69 as a team, Bradley Beal scores 51 as Washington overcome Portland.

ButtersSuki

Gregk961 wrote: »

Just realised Patrick Beverley is out for the season, was wondering why Austin was getting so many minutes. Its a pity anyway, I love watching Beverley play.

Yeah he's a big loss for them, as is Griffin - who was taken out by Rivers. :rolleyes:

ButtersSuki

Had enough of Hoodie Melo? Try Deluded Melo:

https://www.si.com/nba/2017/12/06/dwyane-wade-carmelo-anthony-cavaliers-thunder-bulls-nba-veterans

Watch the clips.

LuckyLloyd

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/lebron-is-still-getting-better/?ex_cid=story-twitter

For a different angle on the topic, it's interesting to see LeBron improving aspects of his game as pillars he once built around inevitably decline. He's been exceptional over the early part of the season. That allied to Wade's willingness to play a bench role is really figuring things out for them.

ButtersSuki

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/lebron-is-still-getting-better/?ex_cid=story-twitter

For a different angle on the topic, it's interesting to see LeBron improving aspects of his game as pillars he once built around inevitably decline. He's been exceptional over the early part of the season. That allied to Wade's willingness to play a bench role is really figuring things out for them.

Good piece, thanks for sharing. It’s known I don’t like LeBron, but his play for the last 2 seasons (this and last) in particular has been phenomenal.

ButtersSuki

KD with a big night stats wise and a triple double.

Boogie goes for 40 and 22 too.

Cabs streak at 13, and LeBron one assist shy of a triple double.

Gregk961

ButtersSuki wrote: »

KD with a big night stats wise and a triple double.

Boogie goes for 40 and 22 too.

Cabs streak at 13, and LeBron one assist shy of a triple double.

LeBron has been phenomenal this year so far, one of the best 20 odd game stretches of his career. Kevin Love is due a lot of credit too he has been really good so far. More important than all of that has been their defense stepping up though.

I had all but written off Cleveland after a few games, they were still playing D like the 2016 Cavs. Not sure if its Ty Lue figuring things out or its just a false dawn but they definatly have improved recently. Wade looks like a good bit of business so far.

ButtersSuki

BREAKING: The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to trade center Jahlil Okafor, forward Nik Stauskas and a second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Trevor Booker.

WTAF? Giving up all of that for Trevor Booker, who's 30 and averages 10pts a game. Okafor is still just 21, Stauskas is 24 AND a pick? I'm lost.

Igotadose

ButtersSuki wrote: »

BREAKING: The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to trade center Jahlil Okafor, forward Nik Stauskas and a second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Trevor Booker.

WTAF? Giving up all of that for Trevor Booker, who's 30 and averages 10pts a game. Okafor is still just 21, Stauskas is 24 AND a pick? I'm lost.

Okafor's fallen out of favor in Philly, and was hurt last year. Still, it may turn out to be a steal for the Nets. A rare thing, indeed. Good news about the Nets never seems to happen.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nets/76ers-trading-jahlil-okafor-nets-article-1.3684263

ButtersSuki

Igotadose wrote: »

Okafor's fallen out of favor in Philly, and was hurt last year. Still, it may turn out to be a steal for the Nets. A rare thing, indeed. Good news about the Nets never seems to happen.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nets/76ers-trading-jahlil-okafor-nets-article-1.3684263

It's a steal for the Nets. They give up an aging player, get two on rookie deals and a pick. I'd maybe understand if Booker was sh*t hot, he's not! Crazy. Okafor can play - he averaged 17/18 as a rookie from memory and he's effectively been frozen out in Philly.

I can't believe they couldn't have gotten better for him as a trade piece. Boston were rumoured to be interested last year/over the summer. They didn't just give him away, they got screwed doing it throwing in NS and a pick!

nerd69

ButtersSuki wrote: »

It's a steal for the Nets. They give up an aging player, get two on rookie deals and a pick. I'd maybe understand if Booker was sh*t hot, he's not! Crazy. Okafor can play - he averaged 17/18 as a rookie from memory and he's effectively been frozen out in Philly.

I can't believe they couldn't have gotten better for him as a trade piece. Boston were rumoured to be interested last year/over the summer. They didn't just give him away, they got screwed doing it throwing in NS and a pick!

Apparently Boston where offering 2nd rounders and wouldn't budge

howiya

Cavs streak ends at 13. Not surprising given their track record of late at Indiana. Really poor shooting in second half. Defense kept them in the game till the end

For Forks Sake

Bulls 3-0 for the weekend, let there be no more of that, there's a lottery pick to be gotten

ButtersSuki

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Bulls 3-0 for the weekend, let there be no more of that, there's a lottery pick to be gotten

I was listening to some pod or other last week and they said everyone else in the lottery mix needs to cop on and start losing as the Bulls were a lock for the worst record. Then they win 3 straight and beat the crap out of a Kyrie-less Boston.

On the other hand, it shows how vulnerable Boston are without Kyrie though.

Philly losing games it should be winning too. I can't remember the exact stats but they're something like 1-6 in games decided by 5 or less (might be higher pts total but you get the idea). That's youth and inexperience.

2smiggy

no team seems to be a standout for tanking this year !! maybe all trying a bit too much !

for the nets pick, 1/3 of the way into the season and i think 9 teams have a worse record, so good for the Celtics. They did look a bit lost without Irving against the bulls. Also you could imagine how much extra Hayward would have given them this year, when not having to rely at stages on Smart taking so many shots !

Paully D

Bulls win again. FFS.

Can’t even tank properly. :pac:

K.O.Kiki

OKC have massive problems.

Russell Westbrook is literally shooting worse than Lonzo Ball! :pac:

ButtersSuki

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

OKC have massive problems.

Russell Westbrook is literally shooting worse than Lonzo Ball! :pac:

I haven't been watching as much of his stuff as I usually do but Coach Nick does a great job of showing the flaws in the OKC offence in a recent video. The main culprits are Melo and Russ. I was astonished to see Westbrook's off ball movement when he passes the ball - it's literally non-existant; he just stands there. For a guy at that level it's astonishing. Melo is Melo, i.e. his usual black hole self. Once the ball goes to Melo you may as well tun back and start playing D. That was never excusable, but it was more excusable when he was shooting a decent %. His shot selection is absolutely atrocious, esp. given his fading athleticism. I think he's actually a bigger problem than Westbrook tbh in that offence.

One other crazy stat was guess how many screens Westbrook has set for Melo this year? 0. WTAF? How does that even happen?

LuckyLloyd

And yet if they sneak into the playoffs I wouldn't want to play them...

ButtersSuki

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

And yet if they sneak into the playoffs I wouldn't want to play them...

Totally agree they're the team no-one will want to play.

They'll get in alright, they just have too much talent not to*. They're currently in the 8th seed, but just 3 games off the 4th.



*......unless of course Presti decides at the All Star Break he doesn't fancy their seeding or their chances of keeping George and trades him - and I'd say there's a REALLY good chance that happens btw, esp. if they are still in the 8/9 slot at that stage. George to the Cavs is not out of the question either and I'd say his likely destination in the short term if that happens. That trade would really alter the GS - Cavs series too - I'd still have GS as favourites, but the gap would be much closer.

K.O.Kiki

Lebron is the GOAT

A mic on the court caught most of LeBron and Lonzo's conversation last night: "Find your zone and just stay ****ing locked in. The media is going to ask you what I told you right now (but so what). Just be aggressive every single day. (Inaudible)..it's white noise. That's all it is. Alright?"

Osmosis Jones

76ers OKC game just went into 3OT, 3/4 guys playing over 50 minutes including Embiid who's only recovering from a back injury.

Paully D

5 wins in a row for the Bulls now since Mirotic came back.

Only one win away from having the 6th worst record at the moment.

They are really blowing this tank.

For Forks Sake

Paully D wrote: »

5 wins in a row for the Bulls now since Mirotic came back.

Only one win away from having the 6th worst record at the moment.

They are really blowing this tank.

No better time to trade Mirotic so...

Gregk961

I had the pleasure of watching a Bulls v Jazz game during the week, more to watch Donavan Mitchell than anything else. I was quite suprised with some of the performances the bulls were getting out of really average veterans. Hoiberg was them well drilled but its not likely sustainable with that roster.

Mitchell looks great though, love how quickly he gets to the rim and how in control he is once he gets there. Nothing fancy about his play but a rookie carrying the scoring load for a team is impressive.

Gregk961

Watched a lot of ball tonight. Melo put in a really awful performance against the knicks, got a few buckets early and then pretty much killed his team with terrible all round play. Dont think he scored after the 1st quarter. Meanwhile his opposite number Beasley drops 30. OKC look a lost cause. I like Westbrook but they are awful to watch aswell, I cant stand looking at static ISO ball for an entire game.

The Spurs(without Kawhi or Parker) pulled off a really bizzare comeback, went 13-0 thanks to Aldridge and won it on a Ginobli layup with time running out. Watching the last 4 minutes with Spurs commentary was very entertaining. The Mavs are bad. Real bad.